As the 31st October fast approaches, we wanted to group together a range of information on Brexit and preparing for exiting the EU. This is by no means exhaustive so please do let us know of other useful sources you have.

Back in October 2018 we researched the impact of Brexit on the arts sector in Scotland. We found that more than a quarter of artists and art workers were considering leaving Scotland because of Brexit.

Contemporary art is an intrinsic part of our communities, and as such sparks a wide range of economic activity, from feeding the ideas of the wider creative industries, to attracting tourists, to successfully informing strategies for social change in communities across Scotland. That is why we believe it is essential that we engage decision makers with the work that our sector does.

SCAN launches the Art in Action campaign this week to champion the valuable role visual art plays within communities across Scotland – and to call for stronger recognition of this value when it comes to decision-making.

SCAN is delighted to announce two events with Grant Watson, co-curator of the bauhaus imaginista project currently showing at HKW in Berlin, which explores the potential and international reach of the famous art and design school. These events mark the return of Curatorial Studio, our ongoing project about, for, and by, contemporary art curators devised by Kirsteen Macdonald and developed by SCAN and partners across Scotland.

The UK is scheduled to leave the EU at 11pm on March 29. The Brexit referendum and the Article 50 process take place in the wider context of the “hostile environment” and of government policy towards migration. As the Brexit deadline approaches, with little certainty about outcomes, we want to talk through the current state of play. Where we are now? How did we get here? And what should we do?

Sarah Munro, Chair of SCAN said: “We are excited to announce the appointment of Clare as our new Director. At a time of real challenge and change it is vital that we build on our manifesto commitments and support artistic practice and production in a wider societal framework. The knowledge and experience of our membership should more strongly inform necessary policy developments and help build the wider alliances that the sector needs to flourish. Claire comes with a wealth of experience in communications, building third sector partnerships and has a deep and developed understanding of the importance of art. We are delighted to welcome her to the SCAN network.”

Curatorial Studio is an innovative project exploring curatorial practice led by Kirsteen Macdonald and shaped by the early career curators who participate each year. This year’s publication comes in the the form of a neat little instruction manual designed by Matthew Walkerdine of Good Press. Edited by Kirsteen and participant Ben Callaghan, from Edinburgh’s Rhubaba, it reflects the group’s themes and activities. But with suggestions for activities and shared experiences ranging from how to talk to trees, imaginative writing exercises, and dancing together, it also serves as a wider toolkit for anyone teeing to start or maintain ways of working together.

How does the Gig Economy shape the Creative Economy in Edinburgh? From Airbnb’d spares rooms to second shifts working for Deliveroo, to what extent are artists and other creative producers implicated in this precarious new economy?

As part of Printemps de l’art Contemporain Festival in Marseille, a programme of Scottish exhibitions and events with Scottish artists and curators titled ‘Love Letters’ will take place from 9 to 26 May.

Yesterday’s U-turn on the Regular Funded Organisations (RFO) funding decisions are good news for the small number of companies granted a reprieve, and continued disappointment for many others including Transmission Gallery.

The 23 visual arts organisations in the updated RFO Portfolio remain broadly unchanged. Stills Gallery and SCAN are new additions. It appears that Transmission Gallery has not been successful this time. Artist led organisations are a vital part of the visual arts scene as the Visual Arts Review evidenced very clearly and this will be a major blow for the many artists involved in the organisation either as committee members, members and supporters. Fife Contemporary Arts and Crafts is now part of the Craft Portfolio having previously been listed under Visual Arts. SCAN member Dovecot based in Edinburgh also appears to have been unsuccessful.

SCAN and Outset Scotland are delighted to announce the museum partners of Curatorial Leadership in Collections (CLiC), a new advocacy and development programme. CLiC brings together curators and directors from eight key Scottish collecting institutions from across the sector. The programme aims to strengthen a curator’s leadership role in activating public collections for contemporary audiences and building imaginative public, commercial and philanthropic partnerships.

SCAN is delighted to announce the participants of Curatorial Studio 2017, a unique peer-led programme for curators in the early stages of their practice, working in varied contexts across Scotland. Curatorial studio is devised by Kirsteen Macdonald together with some of the curators from last year’s programme.

SCAN and Outset Scotland are looking for four institutions with contemporary art collections in Scotland to join four existing museum partners in a new development and advocacy programme, Curatorial Leadership in Collections (CLiC). The programme aims to empower curatorial ambition and institutional support for contemporary art in collections.

Based in Ladybank, Fife, Claire Heminsley is a craft artist who works predominately with textiles. Receiving a VAMCA grant of £750 towards skills training and development, Claire has been creating new work on theme of ‘Objects of Celebration’ for an exhibition in September at House for an Art Lover; art gallery and studio space just outside Glasgow. The project is all about celebratory objects, the stories behind them and then making new celebratory objects.

Geoff Stear is an artist working primarily in painting and drawing based in the Western Isles who sites landscape as a massive influence on his work. Receiving a Visual Arts & Craft Maker Award of £711, Geoff is producing further work for a second exhibition at An Lanntair, Stornoway, in May 2017. The grant has also enabled the artist to finish work on giclee prints connected with a residency in Kalvåg Bremanger, Norway. Visit Geoff’s website to learn more about his practice.

Jill Skulina is a visual artist who works across a range of media with a particular focus on textiles. Based in Newport-on-Tay, Jill received a development bursary of £1,500 to support and develop her practise, with up to £1,500 for additional mentoring. Speaking of her current work that artist notes, “I create process based, figurative work that surrounds forms, either in wearable art, costume or crocheting cocoons around dolls.”

Over the next few weeks SCAN will be sharing stories of recipients of Visual Artists & Craft Maker Awards (VAMCA), a programme of small grants schemes awarded by Creative Scotland with a range of local authorities across Scotland to support visual artists and craft makers. Dundee based artist Trevor Gordon received £715 from VACMA to develop his sculpture practice. Gordon explores childhood memory in his work and his method of producing sculpture is akin to a stream of consciousness. Describing his current project which the grant will go towards the artist notes, “I want to take inspiration from my family history of pattern weaving, bee-keeping, blacksmithing and railway engineering. Disparate fields that feed into my interest in butting random materials together in my own sculptural work. I am drawn to the notion of ‘clever hands’ and the potential artists who were perhaps stymied by the societal constraints of the time.” Gordon is based at Wasps Studios Dundee.

Scottish Contemporary Art Network (SCAN) announced today that Sarah Munro, currently Director of BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead has been appointed Chair of their Board. The contemporary art sector in Scotland faces mounting financial challenges and is still reeling from the devastating loss of two highly regarded exhibition spaces – Inverleith House and Glasgow Sculpture Studios.

The international public programme of Curatorial Studio continues with talks at CCA Glasgow by curators Nikolett Erőss and Mihnea Mircan, both making their first visits to Scotland. These events are free, but ticketed.

With our partners, SCAN invited applications from Scotland’s early-stage curators to take part in Curatorial Studio, an opportunity for emerging curators to take part in a supportive peer-learning group, be mentored by curatorial development programme Framework and contribute to an international event and talks programme.

2016 sees the 20th edition of the Biennale of Sydney curated by Stephanie Rosenthal, Chief Curator at the Hayward Gallery in London. As part of next year’s event (18 March–5 June 2016), the Biennale are calling for contributions to a unique public program initiative that offers international responses to one of the key themes being explored in the exhibition.

Responding to the needs of students graduating from curatorial courses and their peers working in a variety of organisational contexts across Scotland, the aim of Curatorial Studio is to create a supportive peer-learning environment for curators in the early stages of their career.

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